Reclining mechanism for t-cushion chair



March 18, 1969 F, M RE 3,433,527

RECLINING MECHANISM FOR T-CUSHION CHAIR Filed April 17,. 1967 Sheet of Arrow/wx March 18, 1969 F, M, RE

RECLINING MECHANISM FOR T-CUSHION CHAIR Filed April 17, i967 Sheet mmm@ J -M M F 81| oN M Nm No. 8.

F. M. RE

March 1s, 1969v Sheet Filed April 17. 1967 T .Mdnh

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INVENTQI. j i FRANK M. RE BY 5 m ATTORNY.

F. M. RE RECLINING MECHANISM FOR T-CUSHION CHAIR `Filed April 17. 19e? March 18, 1969 vsneek os en.. Nm. on l A TTRNE Y.

United States Patent O 3,433,527 RECLINING MECHANISM FOR T-CUSHION CHAIR Frank M. R, Holyoke, Mass., assignor to Dual Manufacturing & Engineering, Incorporated, Holyoke, Mass., a corporation Filed Apr. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 631,490 U.S. Cl. 297-85 Int. Cl. A47c 1/035 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Chairs wherein a leg rest shifts with respect to a seat simultaneously with a movement of the seat and back.

Description of the prior art To my knowledge, no one has successfully incorporated a mechanism into a T-cushion chair which will automatically and simultaneously extend the legrest or footrest as the seat and backrest are reclined. The T-cushion recliners of the prior art all teach the use of a handle or lever usually on the side of the chair for actuating the legrest or footrest after the seat and backrest are reclined and this for the reason that no one has been able to overcome the problem of the T-cushion binding at the arms of the chair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the invention is to provide, in a reclining chair, a T-cushion seat and mechanism for automatically moving the seat between sitting and reclining positions coincident with the tilting movement of a backrest and the extension of a foot stool without the use of an external handle or lever which detracts from the appearance of the chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a front elevational view of a T-cushion chair of the type embodying the invention;

FIIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational View of a T- cushion chair in the upright or sitting, foot stool retracted position and with portions of the chair removed and other portions shown in phantom for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the chair and mechanism of FIG. 2 in the partially-reclined, foot stool extended position;

FIG. 4 is fragmentary, side elevational view of the chair and mechanism of FIG. 3 in the fully-reclined, foot stool extended position; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmetnary top line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The chair is of the T-cushion type, being so designated because the seat cushion is in the shape of an inverted T with portions thereof disposed forwardly of the arms of the chair.

A need for an automatic reclining chair incorporating this design without an objectionable actuating handle has plan view taken on the lCe long been felt since the T-cushion is a standard item in conventional living room furniture design.

To my knowledge, no one has previously success-fully employed such a T-cushion in a reclining chair without an actuating handle for the reason that the aforementioned portions of the seat cushion have exhibited a tendency to bind on the chair arms when the chair is moved between upright and reclining positions thereby precluding smooth reclining movement and, in some instances, actually precluding any reclining movement at all, and/or precluding extension of the foot stool.

The chair incorporates a T-cushion seat 10, a back Y rest 12, chair side arms 14, a chassis 116, a foot stool 18 disposed flush with the forward edge of the seat in the chair upright position, and chair legs 20 for supporting the chassis upwardly of the floor F.

A linkage mechanism, to be described, constitutes one of a pair, there lbeing one such linkage mechanism at each side of the seat inwardly of the respective adjacent side of the chassis so as to be concealed from view.

yIncluded as integral parts of the linkage mechanisms are seat side rails 22 which extend in a front-to-rear chair direction and are interconnected at their ends by -front and rear stretchers 24 and 26 respectively, same constituting a supporting framework for the seat.

Rear stretcher 26 is fixed to the side rails by a bolt 28 which extends through an upper flange 30 of the side rail and through the stretcher with a nut 3-2 threaded thereon.

Front stretcher 24 is xed to the side rails by a bolt 34 which extends downwardly through upper ange 30 of the side rail and through the stretcher with a nut 36 threaded thereon.

As seen in FIG. 5, the front stretcher extends outwardly from the side rail to form a support for the T-portion of the cushion. Accordingly, additional securing means is provided and constitutes a bolt 38 which extends inwardly through the stretcher and through a flange 40 provided adjacent the forward end of the side rail and has a nut 42 threaded thereon.

Back rest 12 is constituted by a pair of parallel side rails 44 connected by a plurality of cross rails, not shown, in conventional manner.

The chassis comprises spaced parallel and upright sides 46 interconnected by front and rear stretchers 48 and 50 respectively.

Mounting plates 52 fixed to the chassis sides 46 by bolts 54 or the like mount the linkage mechanisms upon the chassis.

A back rest link 56 has its upper end xed to the backrest side rails 44 by bolts or screws 58 and has its lower end pivotally connected to mounting plate 52 as at 60 whereby the backrest is pivotally related to the chassis.

A push bar 62 serves as a means for connecting the backrest to the seat, the seat to the chassis and the footstool to the chassis and seat.

A pair of back links connect back rest link 56 to push bar `62 and comprises a first back link 64 pivoted at its upper end at 66 to back rest link 56 and at its lower end at 68 to the upper end of a second 4back link 70, said second back link being pivoted adjacent its upper end at 71 to mounting plate 52 (see FIG. 4) and at 72 at its lower end to the rear end of push bar 62.

A pair of links additionally connects the back rest to the seat and to the push bar and comprises a slotted control link 74 pivoted at its rear end at 76 to second back link 70 adjacent the lower end thereof and having a slot 78 at its forward end in which a pin 80 carried by seat side rail 22 is receivable, said pin additionally serving to pivotally connect the upper end of a support link I82 to the seat, the lower end of said support link being pivoted to the push bar at 84.

The control link serves the dual functions of precluding reclining movement of the seat and back rest unless the foot stool is extended and precluding any retraction of the foot stool while the chair is in fully reclined position, with the supporting link supporting the rear end of the seat.

A system of links generally indicated by 85 further interconnects the seat, chassis and push bar to insure smooth, coordinated movements of the various chair components. In addition, this system of links performs the allimportant function of guiding the seat during reclining movement of the chair components so that as the chair components are reclined the seat moves not only upwardly but forwardly to preclude binding with the chair arms.

This system of links includes a seat link 86 pivoted at its rear end at 88 to the seat side rail and pivoted at its opposite end at 90 to the upper ends of a first connecting link 92 and a first power link 94.

First connecting link 92 is pivoted at its lower end at 96 to the rear end of a cross link 98.

First power link 94 is pivoted at its lower end at 100 to an L-link 102 pivoted at its upper end at 104 to mounting plate 52.

Cross link 98 is pivoted at its approximate midsection at 106 to L-link 102 and at its forward end at 108 to the forward end of a second connecting link 110 which is pivoted at its opposite end at 112 to mounting plate 52.

L-link 102 is pivoted at its forward end at 114 to the lower end of a second power link 116 pivoted at its upper end at 118 to push bar 62.

A system of links generally indicated by 119 further interconnects the foot stool to the seat and to the chassis to insure smooth coordinated movements of the foot stool as the chair components are moved `between upright and reclining positions.

This system of links includes a first propeller link 120 pivoted at its upper end at 122 to seat side rail 22 and pivoted adjacent its upper end at 124 to the forward end of push bar 62.

First propeller link 120 is pivoted at its lower end at 126 to the lower end of a push link 128 pivoted at its approximate midsection at 130 to a second propeller link 132 and pivoted at its forward end at 134 to the upper end of a third propeller link 136.

Second propeller link 132 is pivoted at its upper end at 138 to seat side rail 22 and is pivoted at its lower end at 140 to the lower end of a first foot stool link 142 which is pivoted at its upper end at 144 to a foot stool plate 146.

Third propeller link 136 is pivoted at its approximate midsection at 148 to the approximate midsection of first foot stool link 142 and is pivoted at its lower end at 150 to the lower end of a second foot stool link 152 which is pivoted at its upper end at 154 to foot stool plate 146.

The foot stool cross stretcher 156 is fixed to the foot stool plate by screws 158 or the like.

A tension spring 160 extends between third propeller link 136 and rst foot stool link 142 being fixed at one end to the pivotal connecting pin 134 and at its opposite end to a pin 162 provided on first foot stool link 14-2.

Spring 160 helps to control the movement of the foot stool as it is extended and aids in its retraction when the chair is returned from reclining positions to upright position.

The usual fabric backing 164 is suspended from the back rest to conceal the various structural features of the chair.

In the past, as the chair was reclined, the lower end of this fabric backing encountered the floor so that it soon became soiled, tattered and unsightly.

I solve this problem by the simple expedient of sewing or otherwise attaching a small plate 166 to the lower end of the fabric backing, pulling the lower end of the backing around the rear stretcher 50 and connecting the plate 166 to the rear end of the push bar 62 by a tension spring 168, thereby keeping the bottom edge of the fabric backing olf the floor even when the chair is reclined.

I am able to employ a T-cushion in my chair because the seat does not move rearwardly as is common in recliners when the back rest is tilted, but rather rnoves forwardly and its rear end moves slightly downwardly. Since the seat moves forwardly, it cannot bind on the arms of the chair to hamper or preclude reclining movements or extension of the foot stool.

To reach the intermediate, semi-reclining or TV position of FIG. 3 from the upright, sitting position of FIG. 2, rearward pressure is exerted against the back rest, causing back rest link 56 to pivot relative to mounting plate 52 and setting up a rotative movement of first back link 64 and second back link 70 to drive push bar 62 forwardly.

Such forward movement of push bar 62 sets up a concomittant forward movement of seat rail 22 and seat 10 and the extension of the foot stool, it being recalled that the seat rail is connected to the push bar by support link 82 and first propeller link 120.

Swinging movement of first propeller link 120 causes all of the links of the system of links 119 to swing outwardly, thereby moving the foot stool from its stored generally vertical position flush with the front of the chair to an extended generally horizontal position forwardly of the chair.

During this movement from the FIG. 2 position to the FIG. 3 position, the system of links 85 remains virtually stationary.

Additional pressure on the back rest moves the chair into the fully reclined position of FIG. 4, with the seat once again moving forwardly to avoid binding on the arms, ibut now also being moved upwardly by the rotation of the system of links until a stop 170 provided on mounting plate 52 is engaged in a notch or cutout 172 in back rest link 56 to preclude further reclining movement of the chair components.

The chair occupant need only sit up to return the chair from FIG. 4 to FIG. 3 position, and by exerting pressure of the heels on the foot stool, he may return the chair from the FIG. 3 to the FIG. 2 position.

In the FIG. 2 position, a stop 174 on second propeller link 132 engages in a notch 176 on the rear edge of third propeller link 136 to preclude further retraction of the foot stool.

In addition, in the FIGS. 2 and 3 positions, the lower edge of L-link 102 abuts a stop 180 (best seen in FIG. 4), provided on the forward end of mounting plate 52, the lower edge of L-link 102 lbeing provided with a suitable notch 182 (see FIG. 4), in which the stop is engageable, the stop supporting the linkage.

I claim:

1. A reclining article of furniture comprising:

a stationary frame,

a body-supporting unit comprising a back-rest and a T- cushion seat pivotal relative to the frame and pivotal each relative to the other,

means mounting the body-supporting unit for movement relative to the frame successively between an upright sitting position and an intermediate reclined position and a fully reclined position and positions therebetween,

a foot stool movable between retracted position wherein it is disposed in a substantially vertical position :beneath the seat and a plurality of extended positions wherein it is disposed in a substantially horizontal position forwardly of the seat,

actuating means connecting between the body-support ing unit, frame and foot stool for automatically moving the foot stool responsively to movement of the body-supporting unit,

the actuating means comprising, a seat link fixed to the seat, a push bar pivotally connected to the frame, to the body-supporting unit and to the foot stool,

a `system of links pivotally connecting between the push bar, the frame and the seattlink for coordinating the movements of the body-supporting unit and foot stool and for moving the T-cushion seat forwardly and upwardly as the body-supporting unit is reclined and the foot stool extended whereby binding between the T-cushion and the frame is precluded,

l() a slotted link operatively connected to the back rest,

to the push bar and to the seat link, a pin on the seat link receivable in the slot of the slotted link, a control link pivoted at one end to and plural stop means for limiting the range of movement of the foot stool and the body-supporting unit.

2. In a reclining article of furniture as set forth in claim 1, including a backing fixed to the rear surface of the lbackrest and depending therefrom, and spring means connecting the lower end of the backing to the plush bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,871,918 2/1959 Schliedhacke 297-85 3,162,483 12/1964 Fletcher 297--89 3,243,227 3/ 1966 Katz 297-85 said pin and at its other end to the push bar for 15 JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

precluding reclining movement of the seat and backrest unless the foot stool is extended and for precluding retraction of the foot stool While the bodysupporting unit is in any reclining position,

U.S. Cl. X.R. 297-83 

